Name Ashleigh Sloan
Age 27
Home Bangor
Where do you work? Lough and Quay Estate Agents
What brought you into the business?
I started working in the property industry when I was 19. After a three-year break as a retail manager, I just couldn’t shake my desire to work in estate agency and came back into it in 2012.
What do you have sitting on your desk?
My Blackberry, Bobbi Brown lip balm, usually lots of paperwork and multiple black pens – I never write in blue ink.
Downtime is?
I enjoy nothing more than retail therapy, reading, watching a little TV and in the good weather being on the beach.
Do you do lunch?
Always, although it tends to be a working lunch. I am excited to be working near The Ivory in House of Fraser again, which offers great food and a great atmosphere for business lunch.
What qualifications do you think are essential for estate agency?
Firstly you need to have good sales technique; this coupled with honesty, integrity and reliability will ensure you offer your clients the best possible service.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
When I was seven years old I wanted to be an archaeologist. When I realised it involved being outside in the muck, I quickly changed my mind.
If you could give it all up tomorrow, where in the world would you move to, and what would you do?
I would move to Key West, Florida and open a beach bar.
Any unfulfilled ambitions?
I’ve always been happy with my career choices and I’ve learnt a lot over the years but, I strive to be more successful in this field and obviously someday kids and marriage would be nice.
What is the most common misconception people have about estate agents?
That we’re all dishonest – of course, there are a few within the industry with this reputation but there are many honest, reliable agents within Northern Ireland and I’m very lucky to be working for an agency with such a great reputation and offering clients an excellent service.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
‘Listen’, my dad has always told me that you learn more from listening than talking and that in some circumstances ‘silence is the greatest weapon of power’.
